Anklet trouble
by SallyCarefree
Summary: Neal gets a new anklet which has some side effects. Peter is not around to help. Neal suffers. Mozzie tries to help. Diana comes to rescue and finds some rescue herself. (Of course, I don't own anything from White Collar. I am full of respect for the extraordinary achievements of the WC writer team. )
1. Chapter 1

When Neal comes back from his lunch break Peter calls him into his office. "_Look, what I've got for you. The marshals just brought a surprise present for you."_

"_Did ever come something good from the marshals?"_ The former criminal is suspicious. "_This is a new anklet. It seems there are some security issues with the former model. They didn't give me any details but obviously the old ones are not really 100% tamper-proof."_ "_I didn't do anything!"_ "_Neal speaks with utter conviction and looks as innocent as a lamb."_

"_No-one accuses you of any tampering. The marshals just don't take any risks and exchange all anklets to a new model. You should like this one. It's even smaller than your old one. Won't bulge your trouser leg. It will look much nicer with one of your fancy suits."_

"_Anything else I should know about the new anklet - except from its fashion value?"_ "_They haven't told me much. It seems to be more precise about your current location."_ "_Which means from now on you can not only monitor if I am in my apartment but you can tell whether I'm in my bed or the bathroom?"_ "_Something like that."_ Peter speaks with a smirk. _You can be assured I won't be digging for these details. There is another piece of information they gave me. They have changed the anti-tamper protection to an active mode of operation."_ _Which means?"_ "_Don't ask me for any specifics but they told me it would be very painful for the monitored subject if someone should try to remove the anklet by force."_

Peter stared at this young ward. "_What do you indicate? I didn't remove my anklet by force."_ "_You didn't cut it when you went to search for the Japanese elephant in my house?"_ "_I was forced to do it!"_ "_Yeah, says the escape artist. Just don't try anything and neither should Mozzie..."_ Before Neal could answer Peter cuts him short: "_I know that he inspects every anklet I gave you and checks for security breaks and ways to pick it. I guess it's just the nature of beast. But I don't want to be called in the middle of the night to rush you to an emergency room because you played around and activated the tamper safeguard."_

After that, Peter removes the old anklet and gets the new one in place. It feels ok and indeed, it didn't show at all under the trouser leg.

Later that day, the con man feels a little itching at his ankle. He might have to get used to the new plastic fiber. He never had any allergies and probably that itching has nothing to do with the anklet at all.

On his way home he calls Mozzie to meet him at his apartment. As soon as the baldy man arrives Neal exhibits his new anklet. Mozzie examines it thoroughly, checks the internet for any technical details on the new device. Finally, he gives up. "_Sorry my dear friend. There is nothing I can do about it. Either you get hold of the keys or you are trapped and dependent on the suit's mercy. Just let me warn you: If you should ever want to cut it or pick the locks - just don't. Apparently you will be grilled with electrical power. That anklet is current-carrying and it will knock you out if the sensors detect any violation. This model is brand-new. There's not much about it on the internet to find - no details how exactly this is working."_

During the evening Neal s lower leg starts to feel numb and the itching increases. A cold shower might just be what he needs. During the night he wakes up a couple of times thanks to the smarting in his leg.

The next morning, the CI complains about the anklet to his handler. "_Ok Neal. What do you expect? Shall I call the marshals to tell them to remove the anklet because you sense a little itching in your leg?"_ "_It's not only itching, the skin is reddened!"_ Agent Burke rolls his eyes. "_Cowboy up! Now let's get to work. Today is Friday. I promised El to call it a day early. We will be heading off for a weekend by the sea. I promised her this journey for ages and I want to wrap up the case before I leave. Let's wait and see. If the itching is still there on Monday, I will call the marshals. Probably you only have to get used to the new material."_

It is another mortgage fraud they are working on - nothing really fascinating about it. But the reformed criminal helps to put the evidences together and build the complete chain of proof. When the case is solved Peter leaves the reports to Diana, Jones and Neal.

"_I'm off. I'm really hoping for a quiet weekend with my wife. In any case of emergency - emergency in the meaning of a matter of life and death - you can call me. I don't want to get any calls because you feel the urge to visit a gallery outside of your radius or jump on top of the Roosevelt Island tramway. My wife and I would really appreciate a couple of days off. If there should arise anything needing the attention of your handler call Diana."_

It takes the remaining team some more hours after agent Burke has left to complete the paperwork and seal the case for the district attorney. The tickling and smarting in his ankle becomes more and more unpleasant.

Neal tries his luck with Diana and complains about the anklet. She isn't very susceptive to his plaint. "_Did you talk to Peter about this?"_ "_Of course, I did."_ "_What did he say?" "Well, we should wait until Monday." "Now, we are talking. I'd say we do exactly that: Wait until Monday."_ "_But he said that only because he was in a hurry! He didn't look at the ankle at all."_ "_I am not interested in watching a hairy men's leg at all. Let's call it a day and head into the weekend. Get yourself a bottle of Aloe Vera lotion in a drug store on your way home and stop whining."_ It crosses his mind that Diana was constantly in a very bad mood during the last weeks.

His way home takes much longer than usually. The young man is limping and finally decides to take a taxi. Back at home he inspects the ankle. It doesn't look good - the skin has an angry red color and is moistening. He goes downstairs to look for June. Maybe she has an idea what to do.

Too bad his landlady went to visit her daughter and would stay there for the night. Neal sits down on his couch and elevates his foot. Calm down, he tells himself, you've suffered from much more serious injuries than this. Later on, he calls he's old friend. "_Mozzie hey, will you come over tonight?"_ "_Hm. You are meeting with whom?"_ "_Jim Keith about Black Helicopters. He's dead, Moz."_ "_I understand, CIA camouflage. Yeah, just drop by whenever you think it's secure."_

It's still an hour to midnight when Mozzie walks through the door and takes a seat at the dining table. Unfortunately, he didn't get any new insight on the black helicopters which would be used for the most likely military takeover of the United States. The guy he met was a screwball. The expert on conspiracy theories helps himself to a glass of wine and fills his young friend in about the complete waste of his evening.

Finally, he directs his attention to his host. "_You don't look good. What's wrong?"_ "_Ah, my ankle. It's still hurting. I think it's infected."_ Neal removes the ice packs from his foot. Mozzie was appalled. "_What is that? It's sore and swollen. You need to call the suit and make him remove the anklet. And you should probably see a doctor."_

"_No and no. Peter is out of town and doesn't want to be disturbed and you know I don't like doctors."_ Mozzie is still alarmed. Back in the old times when they both were working together he rendered quite some first aid for his young friend. He could adjust a dislocated shoulder and stich up a stab wound. But this looks nasty and he has no idea what to do. "_Any objections if I stay here overnight?"_ "_No, make yourself at home. I am tired and go to bed."_ Mozzie doesn't sleep but is listening to his friend who is moaning and tossing and turning in bed. At 1 a.m. he switches the light back on and tries to wake his friend. He's calling his name but Neal doesn't wake up. When Mozzie shakes him gently he feels the heat radiating. His friend is running a temperature.

The older man is at a loss. What should he do? The anklet has to come off! He would do it himself but is afraid that Neal might get an electrical shock. The marshals or the FBI have to disable it before they could remove it. He decides to call the suit - no matter what Neal told him earlier on. The phone was diverted to the mailbox: "_Hi, this is special agent Peter Burke. I am not on duty right now. You can reach me at my office on Monday morning. In case of any emergency please call 911. Neal, if that's you: calm down and wait until Monday and if you're in serious trouble call Diana."_ Mozzie has some reservations regarding the suit. But the pant suit scares the wits out of him. He doesn't dare to call her.

Right then Neal awakes, screaming with pain. Mozzie knows where to look for June's medicine chest down in the basement. She has helped him with some pills every now and then. He climbs the stairs down and returns with a selection of pain killers.

"_Come on, mon frère, you'll have to take these and then we'll be going to the nearest hospital."_ "_Are these painkillers?"_ "_They will help you and ease the pain."_ "_No way, you know I don't take painkillers."_ "_Yes you will take them, now!"_ Neal accepts the inevitable and yields to reason. He takes the pills from Mozzie and swallows them.


	2. Chapter 2

Mozzie helps Neal to get dressed. Not that Neal would call sweatpants and a T-shirt dressed - but you have to make concessions when force majeure threatens... It's hard work to drag the injured man down to the streets with painkillers already kicking in and his body getting limb. Mozzie catches of a taxi and they drive to the nearest hospital. Of course, he could have called an ambulance - but too many people have been abducted by the government using ambulance cars as a disguise. He just doesn't want to take a chance.

While they were waiting at the reception of the emergency ward Neal looks dubious at his friend. "_Do you speak Danish?" "What, no why should I?"_ "_This is Copenhagen Mozzie, you have to tell them that I got shot cleaning my sporting gun. They shouldn't think this has something to do with the shooting at the royal palace."_ "_Neal shut up! This is not Copenhagen and we don't want to hear anything about an alleged shooting which might have happened there 8 years ago." "Moz, I can't remember the alias I am using here. Is it Nick Halden or Steve Tabernackle?"_ Bloody painkillers. He should have thought about Neal's reaction to any sort of drugs before he fed them with the painkiller cocktail.

It doesn't take long until they are brought to a young doctor. She looked surprised. "_Neal Caffrey! What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" _Neal is grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "_Christie? I really like your risotto. Did you get an invitation for the royal dinner, too? Don't tell anyone, Moz and I forged ours."_

Mozzie looked dumbfounded. "_You know him?"_ "_Yeah, I do._ _And who are you? Are you working for the FBI as well ?__"_ "_Ha, as if ... I'm a friend._" "_What's wrong with your charming companiom" "__It's his ankle."_ Christie takes a close look. She frowns.

"_The anklet has to be removed, now. This isn't good. I will cut it."_ "_No, wait! He will get an electrical shock when we cut it. We need the key to unlock it."_ "_Then call his handler, Peter Burke."_ "_As if I hadn't tried. He is out of town."_ "_Then, who is in charge of Mr. Caffrey?"_ "_It's Diana Barrigan. But she's as scary as it gets."_ Christie smiles, no she doesn't remember her former lover as scary.

"_Listen, there are 2 options: 1 - you call Diana, she comes over, removes the anklet and we can treat your friend's anklet. Option 2 - we just wait it out."_

_"I'll go for option 2!"_

"_I wasn't finished... It will take about 3 to 4 hours until we have to cut the lower leg together with the anklet because the infection will have spread upwards and infested the bone. There are already signs of sepsis. Are you still going for option 2?"_

Mozzie takes his phone and leaves the room to call the pant suit. "_This is Dante Haversham, I beg your pardon for calling you this early in the morning."_ "_Mozzie, is that you? Are you out of your mind? It s 3 o'clock in the morning." "It's about Neal. You need to come to the hospital and bring the key for his anklet."_ He fills her in with the details and she promises to hurry.

Meanwhile, Neal has started singing_ I did it my way_. He gives his friend a distressed look when he returns. "_Listen Moz, it's hot. I told you we shouldn't go to Madrid in summer. That's just not the time of the year to be there. We should have waited until September. That would have given me more time to forge the Dali. 'Dream caused by the Flight of a Bee' is a tricky painting. My brush work was a bit rush."_

"_Your brush work was just fine."_ The reply slips out before it returns to his mind that they are not alone in the room. He quickly adds "_Allegedly."_

"_Listen, you are a doctor, aren't you? Whatever he said subjects to medical confidentially, Hippocratic Oath and everything." _Christie just smiles. "_It's ok. His secrets are safe with me."_

Mozzie wonders why the doctor looks a bit heartbroken when Diana Barrigan enters the ward. "_Christie, what are you doing here? How are you?" "I'm treating your CI. He is quite in a state."_ And then she leads the attention to the swollen and infected ankle.

Now Neal tugs at Mozzie's sleeve. "_Hey Moz. I know that woman. She's a hooker, I've run a scam with her. Can't remember the details but she charges 10 Grant a night. What is she doing here? You didn't really order a hooker to a hospital. I mean I am not dying and need my last rites. And she is not dressed up. What is this about? Is this a con?"_ The last questions sounds very elated. By now, Mozzie regrets that the government keeps beaming technology hidden in Roswell. He'd love to leave the scene...

Agent Barrigan flashes a killing glance at them both. "_Caffrey, stop it. You have still one good leg. I could break it."_

The confused patient seems intimidated. "_Uhh, Mozzie she is mean."_ He lowered his voice and whispered to his friend: "_Some guys go for this style, did you know that. I knew a girl in Paris once..."_ Mozzie is desperate and covers Neal's mouth with both hands. "_Can't you put him to sleep, doctor?"_

Christie would have had an extremely good time watching her girlfriend being mistaken for a hooker but her patient's state was way too alarming.

"_Diana, please remove the anklet. We have to treat him as soon as possible or I can't guarantee to save his leg."_ The agent unlocks the security mechanism and opens the lock. She calls the marshals office to inform them that this was a legitimate removal.

Christie starts to treat Neal s leg. When she is finished Neal wakes with a start.

"_Mozzie, I am late. I have to meet Kate at the Bethesda fountain. We always meet there on April 15th, the anniversary of the day we met. You should know that. Kate will be worried sick when I am late. I told you that this FBI agent with the ugly suit came close, very close. She might think I am in trouble."_ His friend tries to soothe him. "_Get some rest, my friend. There is still time, it's early in the morning. She won't expect you before noon."_ "_Ok, I rest but I don't want to sleep. I have nightmares when I sleep."_ Neal has tears in his eyes.

"_I dreamed that she died. She dies in a gigantic explosion and I just stand by and watch. I can t help her. It's awful. It's only a dream, isn t it? I will meet her later on, right Moz?"_ Mozzie sighs and strokes the tousled hair of his longtime companion. "_It was a nightmare young one. Everything will be alright."_

Finally Neal is sleeping. Christie is positive that the leg will heal and won't leave any permanent damage. Diana and Mozzie are waiting at his side. No one talks. It's not the first time that Mozzie waits at Neal's bed to see him through an injury. And it's not the first time for Diana to stake out Neal at night.

After sunrise Christie comes to see them and asks if anyone wants to join her for a coffee. Mozzie rejects but Diana accepts the invitation.

Christie talks hesitantly to her former life partner. "_I hope this late night call didn't cause any inconvenience for you. If you have to go I don't want to keep you from something important - or someone."_ "_No need to worry, I was on my own. And I wasn't really asleep. Don't sleep well lately. _

_If I would leave now, I would have to cuff Caffrey to the bed since he is off anklet. I don't want to this. He is a nuisance but this for once isn t his fault. I'll wait till 9 and then I call the marshals to bring over a new anklet, one of the old make. _

_Why are you still here? Your shift must be over. No one waiting for you at home?"_

"_I want to be there when he wakes up just to make sure he's fine. He's the only person who ever liked my risotto. It would be too bad losing him."_ They both chuckled.

After a while Christie goes on. "_And no, no one is waiting for me. Every day I come home to an empty apartment. The same apartment that we both selected and furnished together. You've been more to me than a fling or an affair. I loved you and I wanted to share my live with you, raise some children and grow old. I've never been into this butterfly thing, changing partners every other night."_

Before Diana could answer Mozzie appears. "_Neal is awake."_ Christie rushed over to examine her patient. The sepsis was stopped and the swelling reduced. Everything looks very promising. To Mozzies big relieve there are no more signs of drug induced delusion. The patient looked groggy but alert.

"_I am sorry Diana and thank you for coming over in the middle of the night."_ The agent grinned. "_You're welcome. And after all - coming in the middle of the night to service that's what we hooker do to earn our money." _To Neal her words don't make sense. He doesn't remember much from the past night and has no idea what she is talking about. Maybe Diana suffers from sleep deprivation which causes temporary aberration...

The marshals come over with a new anklet. It was the old make. Apparently, Neal wasn't the only ex-convict having problems with the new model. There seems to be a problem with the creeping current and they have already started to recall the product.

Neal will have to stay for another day in hospital to monitor his healing process. He still feels tired and drifts off. Mozzie has already left the hospital before the marshals came in. No need to take any unnecessary risks.

Diana reaches for her jacket and looks out for Christie.

_"Do you still want?"_

Christie is puzzled. "_Want what, breakfast?"_

"_Love, share a live, raise kids?"_ Christie just looked inquiringly. Her former lover goes on. "_You scared the shit out of me when you proposed. I just wasn't ready for such a commitment. But I miss you. I miss your smile in the morning and I miss your little post-it's when you had to leave the house before I return. I miss to spend an evening watching TV with you. And I miss your comments on the paintings when I go to a museum. I even miss that bloody handmade embroidery 'Home sweet Home' your mother gave us and which you insists has to hang in the hall. I miss all that because I love you."_

She stopped to breathe. She's never been the type to spill out her feelings freely. But some things are just so important that you have to do it.

"_I was just plain stupid to break up our relationship. But if you would be willing to give us another try I would be more than willing to prove that it's worth your while. I can't promise you that we will be happy ever after. But at least, we will have a life. Being without you is not living at all."_

Christie is stunned. When the information finally sinks in she beams with joy.

"_Ok, I take it: the breakfast, the children, the love and everything."_ They both are still hugging when they leave the hospital to go home.

Later that day, Peter Burkes calls his CI. "_I've seen Mozzie called me yesterday. I hope you didn't get into any trouble or did he just want to share any news on one of his conspiracy theories with me?"_

"_Where do I start... I had to get rid of the anklet._" "_Oh no, Neal_."

"_But the marshals were sympathetic."_ "_Neal!"_

"_But I am afraid I won't be able to join you in the bureau tomorrow. And Diana seems to be facing some mental disorientation but I hope with a little sleep that should be fine. The good news is obviously there are no black helicopters planning to take over the United States."_

The agent sounds utterly resigned when he speaks. "_I shouldn't have expected anything else when I left you unguarded for two days."_

But apart from this fake expression of animosity he was truely concerned. "_Are you ok, buddy?" "Yes, I'm fine." "Where can I find you?"_

Peter drives to visit his friend right away. Neal uses his handler's guilty conscience - after all Neal has complained early about the new anklet and his handler has brushed him off - to press some favors. There are so many art exhibits out of his radius and it would be so very nice if Peter would allow him on one of the next weekends, and Neal hasn't been to Coney Island for ages,...

Peter agreed good-natured to the suggestions - under the condition that Neal won't tell El about her husband's part in the almost-disaster...

Author's note: Thanks for all of your reviews so far. Sorry if the reunion of Diana and Christie is just a bit too sweet. But I just felt like it :-)

And I think Mozzie and Christie never met before. If they did - just imagine they didn't when reading my story.


End file.
